Centekboard fob



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE F. POTTS, OF APALAGHICOLA, FLORIDA.

CENTERBOARD FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent No To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JESSE F. Po'r'rs, 0f Apalachicola, in the county of Franklin and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Centerboards; and I hereby declare the following to be a true and eXact description thereof, reference being had to the drawings herewith presented, which drawings constitute a part of said description.

The principle of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a center board so as to be easily adjusted and to present the greatest area on its side with the least practicable draft or depth of water. For this purpose it is also requisite that the board be capable of being moved upward and downward and to be kept in a position always parallel to itself, (parallel to the keel.) The board may be placed either in the center of the keel or on the side thereof by having a strong timber or garbel sub stantial enough to support the pressure of the board and also t0 support the ribs that come amidships (or opposite to the curb.) The board may thus be extended by the side of the mast if desired.

Figure I shows a section of the curb containing the board with its connections to the curb and showing its position in regard to the keel when let down. Fig. 2 shows the position of the board when drawn up.

The dotted line A A shows the position of the keel.

B is the board.

G is the curb.

D and D are hinges, or parallel bars centered on their pins at P P and jointed to the board at J, J. E is a rod also jointed to the board by which it is thrust down or drawn up as required.

. 22,088, dated November 1e, 1858.

Center-board vessels are designed for the purpose of navigating shoal water and in order to sail by the winds it is requisite to get sufiicient hold of the water by taking the least practicable depth. It will be seen that by lowering both ends of the board it will present twice the area that a board of equal length and depth can present by lowering only one end and hence an equal area can be presented by half the depth that is usually required by a board hung only at one end. And by this arrangement the board becomes safe as to any accidental injury. If it should strike a rock or sand bar while moving ahead it will swing up out of harms way.

It is sometimes desirable to work a canalboat by sails in tide water, and lea-boards may be attached to them in the same way.

I am aware that a plan has been devised by which certain plates of metal or boards may be folded up so as to be drawn up into a recess formed in the bottom of a keel, but such device is too complex, too liable to be deranged and too expensive for use.

My parallel action center board is simple, cheap, and eliicient.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The two or more hinges or parallel bars D and D, as above described, when arranged in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto subscribe my name in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE F. POTTS.

IVitnesses A. D. BULL, IV. D. MACLAY. 

